Surprise, surprise, as Jonathan reports, Bush is choosing to “Go Long” in Iraq. As the New York Times reports today, Bush outright dismissed the early released reports of the Baker Commission’s decisions for a withdrawal of U.S. troops. Predictable. Bush said, “We’re going to stay in Iraq to get the job done so long as the government wants us there.” Which is an unfortunately timed statement given that yesterday Moqtada al Sadr and his followers (which make up 30 parliamentarians and 6 ministers) pulled out of the Iraqi government because of Maliki’s meeting with Bush. Now this is not to say that al Sadr (whose militias have been carrying out many of the attacks against the Sunni insurgency) should be driving the decisions of the administration. But he is one of the most powerful if not the most powerful political leader in Iraq and as such, he must be acknowledged. As should the Baker Commission’s recommendations, which have been $1 million and more than 7 months in the making.
